Gas flow indicator



L 19% F. P. SCULLY GAS FLOW INDICATOR Filed April 9, 194.7

Patented Jan. 31 1950 GAS FLOW INDICATOR Frank P. Scully, Cambridge,Mass, assignor to Scully Signal Company, Cambridge, Mass., a

corporation Application April 9, 1947, Serial No. 740,400 6 Clalms. (o1.11e 112) This invention relates to indicators and is par ticularlyconcerned with an audible signal for indicating the flow of gas.

In the present invention, the signaling means is in the form of awhistle and is used specifi-;-

cally to give an indication of gas flowing through a pipe. The whistleis of the button type which is capable of giving an audible sound undervery low pressure conditions. The invention includes not only thecombination of the whistle with the pipe but also the whistle andwhistle securing means per se.

The invention will be more particularly described hereinafter with theaid of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-sectionalelevation of a pipe showing the whistle unit mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the right of Fig. 1.

legs of the hook 30 are crimped tightly together so that a securefrictional grip on face 5 is obtained. The reduction in the area ofaperture l8 caused by hook 30 passing therethrough does not affect toany appreciable extent the whistling quality of the unit. 7

The unit consisting of the whistle and. the securing means 24 may thenbe readily attached to the end of a pipe byinserting it to the positionshown in Fig. 1, with the whistle 4 within the pipe and leg 26 of theclip outside. The frictional engagement between leg 26 on the outside ofthe pipe and whistle 4 and leg 28 on the inside is sufficient toeliminate any possibility of the Fig. 3 is a. vertical section throughthe whistle shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 2 illustrates a pipe of any given dimension throughwhich gas may flow; 4 indicates an audible signaling device which, inthe present invention, is in the form of a typical button type whistle.In the present disclosure the whistle consists of two telescopingportions, the outer part comprising a face 5 and a flange B. The innerpart comprises a face 8 and a shallow flange from which extend threelegs l2, spaced 120 degrees apart, two of which are shown in Fig. 3. Theends of legs [2 rest against the inner side of the face to give properspacing to the two faces 5 and 8.

The outer circumferential flange portion 6 is turned inwardly at I 6 tooverlie the outer edge of face 8, thereby locking the two telescopingmembers securely together. Both faces have centrally located aperturesl8 and 20. These apertures are in alignment and of such size in relationto the internal whistle cavity 22 that a plain- 1y audible whistlingsound will be caused by the flow of gas therethrough in either directionat very low pressure.

The means for anchoring whistle 4 to the pipe is plainly shown in thefigures. The construction shown constitutes one convenient form, butother connectors may be used if they seem more expedient. In the presentinstance a long U- shaped clip 24 in the form of a large cotter pin hasa lower horizontal leg 26, an upper leg 28, and an inverted U-shapedhook 30. Hook 30 is positioned so that the inner end passes throughaperture 18 to lie inside the whistle. The two whistle being blown loosefrom its position, regardless of the gas direction or'velocity.

The size of the pipe with which the indicating unit is used isimmaterial. The only point to be considered is that the whistle itselfmust not be so large as to fill an undue proportion of thecross-sectional area of the pipe, as this would partially block the flowof gas and might set up undesirable back pressures.

In the illustration shown, the whistle occupies less than half thecross-sectional area of the pipe. This reduction in area has been foundunobjectionable and results in the whistle operating under very lowpressure conditions.

The whistle in combination with the pipe may be used to give either oftwo indications. If, for example, gas is normally flowing through thepipe, the whistle will give a continuous sound. When the flow ceases,the sound will cease to give the desired indication. Conversely, if gasdoes not normally flow through the pipe, then the whistle will normallybe silent, with whistling commencing the instant the gas starts to flow.

The whistle and attaching device constitute a small compact unit, whichmay readily be: carried to any location where an indication is desired,and applied by hand to the end of the pipe with out the use of tools orany other equipment.

The invention, while shown in a preferred form, is not to be limitedthereby but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A whistle assembly adapted to be inserted and releasably securedwithin the end of an open tube comprising, in combination, a button typewhistle and means for detachably securing said Whistle within said tubeat right angles to the longitudinal axis of said tube, said meanscomprising an elongated U-shaped clip with one leg of said clipsubstantially parallel to the axis of said whistle and lying exteriorlyof the whistle circumference, and the other leg of said clip beingattached to said whistle.

2. A whistle assembly comprising, in combination, a whistle havingspaced opposed faces with apertures therethrough defining a gas passageat right angles to said faces and means for securing said whistle to arigid surface with the said faces at right angles to said surfaces, saidmeans comprising an elongated U-shaped clip, one leg of said clip beingsubstantially parallel to the axis of the said gas passage, the otherleg of said clip terminating in a U-shaped hook, the free end portion ofwhich is positioned within the body of said whistle against the innerside of one of said faces, and the juxtaposed portion 115 leg of saidclip being in clamping engagement with a portion of said whistle.

4. The combination of a pipe of uniform diameter and a'whistle-assemblypositioned therein near the end of said pipe, said whistle being of thebutton type and substantially smaller in cross-sectional area than saidpipe and detachably secured'to said pipe by a clip, said clipcornprising an elongated U-shaped member generally parallel to the gaspassage through said whistle, one leg of said member lying outside saidpipe in frictional engagement therewith and substantially parallel tothe axis thereof and the other leg lying Within said pipe in frictionalengagement with the interior thereof, said other leg being secured tosaid whistle.

said pipe.

5. The combination of a pipe of uniform diameter and a whistle assemblypositioned therein near the end of said pipe, said whistle being of thebutton type and substantially smaller in cross-sectional area than saidpipe and detachably secured to said pipe by a clip, said clip comprisingan elongated U-shaped member generally parallel to the gas passagethrough said whistle, one leg of said member lying outside said pipe infrictional engagement therewith and substantially parallel to the axisthereof, and the other leg lying within said pipe, said other leg beingsecured to said whistle in such manner that the whistle itself islikewise in frictional engagement with the interior of the pipe.

6. The combination of a pipe and a button type whistle .substantiallysmaller than the crosssectional area of said pipe, said whistle beinglocated near the end of said pipe and at right angles thereto with thegas passages parallel to the axis of said pipe' so that gas flowingthrough said pipe will "flow in part through said Whistle, and meansattached to said whistle and straddling the end wall of the pipe forremovably securing said whistle in said position within FRANK P. SCULLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES .PATENIS Number Name Date 738,898 Ganaway Sept. 15, 19031,306,662 .Geer June 10, 1919 1,785,329 Schnoo'r Dec. 16, 1930 1,961,186Yaupp' June '5, 1934 2,140,559 Scully et a1. Dec. 20,1938

2,143,476, Crossley Jan. 10, 1% 2,143,706 Mathey Jan. 10, 1939

